Vaisnavism Under the Rule of the Nalas
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Orissa Review June - 2004 Vaisnavism Under the Rule of the Nalas Dr. C.B. Patel ollowing the famous South Indian Srikakulam district, Devarashtra with F expedition of Samudragupta, several small Yellamachili of Visakhapatna district and principalities rose into prominence in South Pistapura has been identified with Pithapuram India, 1. Mahendra of South Kosala, of Godavari district. Dr. Sahu opines that even 2.Vyaghraraja of Mahakantara, 3. Mantaraja after the Southern expedition, suzerainty of of Korala, 4.Mahendra of Pistapura, Samudragupta did not extend over South- 5.Swamidatta of Kottura, Eastern India and therefore 6. Damana of Erandapalla, the claim of Allahabad Pillar 7. Visnugupta of Kanchi, Inscription be regarded as 8. Nilaraja of Avamukta, exaggeration. In fact, it was 9. Hastivarman of Vengi, a brilliant military raid 10. Ugrasena of Palakka, without any permanent 11. Kubera of Debarastra, impact. Immediately after the 12.Dhananjaya of retreat of Samudragupta, the Kusasthalapura were known South Indian potentates to have been defeated by became independent and Samudragupta as per the carved out their own description of Allahabad kingdoms. Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta. Of these the At this juncture, the 1st, 6th and 11th kings were Matharas rose to power in ruling over various parts of the coastal belt of Orissa Kosala and Kalinga. Korala with epicentre in and around has been identified as Kulada Mahendragiri and the Nalas in Ghumsar area. Kalinga rose to power in Bastar- was then divided into four Koraput and Kalahandi principalities viz. Kottura, region. The Mathara rule Erandapalla, Devarastra and Visnu, Jeypur Musuem, Koraput District, ended by about 498 A.D. Pistapura. Kottura has been Circa 9th century A.D. after the rise of early identified with modern Kathoor about 12kms Gangas. The Nalas carved out a vast kingdom to the south of Mahendra hill. Erandapalla has in the South Kosala area and ruled from 300- been identified with modern Erandapalli of 740 A.D. in the upper Mahanadi and upper 97 Orissa Review June - 2004 Godavari valley. They began their rule from prior to his days is almost shrouded in Puskari i.e modern Podagada in Koraput district obscurity. Learned scholar late S.C.Behera adjacent to Gajapati area in about 290 A.D. believes that after Samudragupta’s invasion Sisuka, the 1st ruler of the dynasty had a long Vaisnavism received its momentum under royal rule upto 330 A.D. during which he extended patronage and the Matharas in Kalinga and the his kingdom in the Vindhyan and Southern Nalas in Western Orissa (i.e. South Kosala Kosala regions. Prithvivyaghra (700-740 A.D), area) were known to have marshalled the cause the last early or imperial Nala ruled from Rajim of the faith in 4th/5th century A.D. Dr. H.C. area in present Chhatisgarh region. For another Das also supports this contention and 160 years, the Nalas were not known but speculating about its antiquity he is inclined to surprisingly from epigraphic record we came suggest that “this religion might have spread to know that one in this land from the 1st phase Bhimasenadeva, claiming of its reflection”. In fact, descent from the Nala family as Vaisnavism appears to have a ruling over Ganjam and hoary beginning in this part as Gajapati districts in the is indirectly indicated by the beginning of 10th century A.D. vast mass of legendary The history of the Nalas accounts. The Indradyumna from the 2nd half of the 8th episode suggests its origin in century A.D. upto the beginning tribal society in an unknown of 10th century A.D. is shrouded Blue Hill, perhaps, located in mystery. The descendants of some where in the eternal Prithvivyaghra might have been Vindhyan range, the cradle of ruling over part of ancient the Nalas of South Kosala. Nieadha country as petty “Narayana was the primordial political powers during this deity in the beginning and the period. Due to paucity of predominance of Vishnu in evidences, we are not in a Vaisnavism appears to be a position to connect the lineage later development.” H.Kulke of Bhimasenadeva who believes that perhaps Jagannath was the most famous Hinduized appeared and ruled over Visnu, Singapur, Jajpur District, Ganjam region in the beginning Circa 11th century A.D. tribal deity and Orissa seemed of 10th century A.D. with the early Nalas. to have been deeply influenced Therefore, we place him and his royal lineage by the tribal culture. Taking into consideration in the group of later Nalas. the iconography of Jagannath A. Eschmann thinks “it is their being of wood which allows Nala kingdom witnessed the splendid or necessitates the renewal of the Jagannath efflorescence of Vaisnavism. From the images as well as the dominating role which epigraphic statement “Padamulam Krutam the daitas i.e., the priests of tribal origin play Visnou Rajna Sriskandavarmena”, It is in this ritual strongly suggests its being of tribal definitely evident that Nala king Skandavarman origin”. We are inclined to suggest that (C.480-515 A.D.) was an ardent devotee of Vaisnavism had a very early beginning in South Visnu and an active patron of Vaisnavism. The Kosala many centuries before Skandavarman, state of Vaisnavite movement in South Kosala in the early period of the emergence of the tribal 98 Orissa Review June - 2004 Nalas as a ruling power and the exact evidence a devout worshipper of Visnu and a devoted seems to have been lost in course of time. champion of Vaisnavism. From the epigraphic evidence of The meaning of ‘padamula’ of Visnu Podagada stone inscription and Rajim temple which the king established at Puskari and set- inscription it is evident that Vaisnavism which up the inscription just in front of it is not quite revolves round this supreme god Visnu had its clear. C.R. Krishnamachary who edited the diverse manifestations at different places of grant translates it as a sanctuary. G.Ramdas Nala kingdom. thinks it to be a place of pilgrimage wherein the foot print of Vishnu was installed. He also The charter of Skandavarman begins with reports of the discovery of a piece of “stone an invocation to Lord Hari about two feet in diameter on which is a slightly “Harina jitam jayati jasyatitvesa gunastutirnhisa deepened impression of a man’s right foot. The Nanu Bhagavaneva Jayam jetavyam chadhijetacha” foot print itself is about 12” long and suggests “Hari was victorious, is victorious, and that it must have been made by a very stalward will be victorious is not that (i.e. appropriate). man”. The worn out foot impression and the For verily the Divine (Hari is himself the eroded stone impressed him that it belonged conquest, the object to be conquered and the to the same age as the epigraph on the rocky conqueror”). This grant records the foundation hill. “Perhaps it was the footprint (Padamula) of a ‘foot print’ (Padamula) of Vishnu and of Vishnu said in the inscription to have been set up by prince Skandavarma”. The relic was donation of certain holding found amidst thick forest three alongwith abundant miles away in northeasterly Bhuridaksina made to the donee direction from Podagada. Chakradrona for worship in the However, we are inclined to temple, by the noble king and suggest that perhaps the foremost scion (Srinalanvay- establishment of Padamula of amuksasa) and son of Vishnu refers to the establishment Bhavadattavarman, with a hope of a Vishnu Vihar or monastery by of obtaining religious merit for the king where the emblem of his father, other ancestors and footprint of Vishnu was the chief mother and desiring welfare for object of veneration. This himself. He also directed that the contention is supported by the proceeds of the holding should internal evidence as well as be entirely utilised for feeding in traditional instances of footprint a satra of Brahmanas, worship in monasteries by the especially of ascetics, of the poor Buddhists and Saivas. The and of the destitutes. In line donation of a large holding for the eleven he further declares that maintenance of ascetics and poors “he who will conform to the good in a satra indicates that the path followed by king will for Krisna Visnu from Dharmasala, padamula was nothing but a long find refuge in God Orissa State Museum Vaisnava Vihar. In Buddhist Vasudeva” (Savasudevasraya- Circa 12th century A.D. Viharas, worship of footprint was mapnuyachhiyram). From these references it also in vogue. At Ranipur Jharial even today is abundantly evident that Skandavarman was we notice a few pairs of footprints worshiped 99 Orissa Review June - 2004 with great veneration. It was known to have Arthapatiraja, elder brother of Skandavarman, been a centre of Saivism and monastic was a stunch Saivite and was known to have activities. N.K.Sahu is inclined to think that donated this village (agrahara) to four donees “the footprint symbolises the dwarf incarnation of Kautsasagotra. We notice a Vishnu image of of Vishnu and it appears that the idea of divine similar type at Nilakantheswar temple complex incarnation was popular in the Nala Kingdom”. of Umarkot which indicates that Vaishnavism Whatever might be the significance it seems also thrived at many places and was popular that the traditions of footprint worship was among people. borrowed from Buddhism. We visited the The occurrence of Vasudeva (Krishna) Podagada hill fort and made detailed surface in the epigraph testifies to the prevalence of exploration of the site where the inscribed Vasudeva cult in the Nala domain and its stone slab stands in isolated set-up amidst amalgamation with Vishnu in the Vaishnava jungle ambience, in the one time thriving philosophy. Vasudeva Krishna cult which is imperial city of the Nalas, now deserted and resplendent in Indian sacred literature was a found traces of a structure in the shape of very popular creed through the ages.